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On Monday one passenger Tweeted a screen grab of service updates from the ScotRail app that showed two consecutive trains had been cancelled at Kilmarnock having arrived late from Dumfries.

The user added: “Another day, and another shambolic service for the commuters of Kilmaurs, Stewarton and Dunlop.

“Have you tendered your resignation yet, Mr Yousaf?”

Rail passenger Louise Coupland previously Tweeted that it was “impossible” to rely on “any ScotRail service” to or from Stewarton, saying that she has abandoned the service to drive to Glasgow.

ScotRail have been widely criticised for the quality of services across Scotland, with commuters voicing their annoyance with the Scottish government.

Almost 20,000 people signed a petition calling Dutch firmAbellio to be stripped of the franchise, with the Scottish ­government also urged to take action to resolve delays and cancellations.

Kilmarnock Railway Station

Former managing director Phil Verster left his position amidst huge pressure surrounding punctuality and reliability targets. He was replaced by Alex Hynes, who is now himself under pressure to explain the poor performance.

However, since taking over the position, suggestions Abellio could be stripped of the franchise have subsided.

Gareth McKenzie, administrator for the Stewarton’s Voice Twitter page, said: “Trains are either late or don’t come at all. The season ticket I got my daughter for university is a waste of money as I keep having to take her to Glasgow.

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“What seems to be happening is that if services are behind, they just miss Stewarton completely.

"A lot of people are out of pocket. This is having an impact on the local economy as well.

"People are moving here because it’s supposed to be a commuter town.

"But if there’s not a reliable train service, then people are going to stop moving here and bringing in money. It’s time for East Ayrshire Council and the local MSP to get involved.”

A spokesman for the rail company said the recent disruption had been down to a combination of train faults and points failures, saying this had “not been helped” by the weather conditions.

The spokesman added: “We know how frustrating delays and cancellations can be, and we do everything we can to minimise it.

“The autumn and winter seasons present difficulties for the railway, and this year has been no different. Despite the challenges, ScotRail remains the best performing large operator in the UK.

“For 9/10 of our trains to have met the target time over the past year is a strong foundation on which to build.

“But we want to deliver even more, and because we rightly expect the highest standards, we are implementing a number of initiatives to improve both the reliability of our trains and the supporting infrastructure. Our customers deserve a better and more consistent service and we are determined to deliver that.”